Hanger for portable appliances



March 16, 1965 v. K. RATH HANGER FOR PORTABLE APPLIANCES 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 10, 1965 INVENTOR.

VIRGIL K. RATH ATTORNEY March 16, 1965 v. K. RATH 3,173,643

HANGER FOR PORTABLE APPLIANCES Filed Oct. 10, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 In. h

11.. QM MU INVENTOR.

VIRGIL K. RATH ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,173,643 HANGER FOR PORTABLE APPLIANCES Virgil K.'Rati1, 112 S. Pearl St., Janesville, Wis. Filed Oct. 10, 1963, Ser. No. 315,242 Claims. (Cl. 248-224) My invention relates to an improved hanger for portable appliances or other objects, particularly those having a carrying handle projecting from their tops.

A prime object of my invention is to provide a hanger for supporting a portable appliance or other object in such a manner that the appliance is swivelable.

A further object of my invention is to provide a hanger for supporting a portable appliance or other object at any desired height above floor level and in spaced relation to a wall or other supporting structure.

Another object of my invention is to provide a hanger for safely supporting a portable appliance in such a swivelable manner without the need of any fastening means.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein a preferred embodiment of the principles of the invention has been selected for exemplification.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of my novel hanger.

FIG. 2 is a top view of the hanger of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a bottom view of the hanger of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is section view taken along line 4-4 in FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is front view of the hanger in use.

The basic functional element of my inventive hanger is the upwardly opening, rotatable channel 11. The channel 11 is mounted on a frame 12 which is adapted to be secured to a wall or other surface. The channel 11 is adapted to receive the handle by which such portable appliances as heaters and television sets are carried. For exemplary purposes only, it is shown in FIG. 5 receiving the handle 8 of a portable televsion set 9. Once hung in the channel 11 by its handle 8, the television set 9 is swivelable to place its screen in the proper position for viewing. Similarly, a heater would be swivelable to direct its flow of heat to the desired part of a room. The channel 11 may, of course, be used with any portable appliance or other object which has a carrying handle or other element to be received by the channel 11.

The hanger 10 has an economical, rugged construction. Besides the channel 11 and the frame 12, its elements include an upper mounting bracket 13, a lower mounting bracket 14 and a swivel plate 15. As best shown by FIGS. 1 and 3, the frame 12 is preferably composed of a single, suitably rigid length of round stock. The stock is substantially V-shaped. The notch 1e and the legs 17 and 18 of the V-shaped frame 12 lie in a substantially horizontal plane. Structure must be provided which adapts the substantially horizontal frame 12 for attachment to a Wall, ceiling or other surface. The preferred structure illustrated in the drawings adapts the frame 12 for attachment to a substantially vertical wall. The structure comprises the substantially vertical legs 17a and 13a, which are respectively integral extensions of the legs 17 and 18. Any other convenient structure may be used. Also, the structure may be modified as desired to make the frame 12 easily attachable to a ceiling or other horizontal surface.

The swivel plate 15, which is conveniently circular, is preferably secured to the top side of the frame 12 at its notch 16 by welding or any other suitable means. The channel 11 is mounted on the top of the swivel plate in rotatable relation to it. A bolt 19 and a nut 20 or any other suitable means may be used to attach the channel 11 to the swivel plate 15 in the desired rotatable relation.

\ 3,173,643 Patented Mar. 16, 1965 ICC The two mounting brackets 13 and 14 are secured across the vertical legs 17a and 18a by welding or other suitable means. More than two mounting brackets, or one large bracket, may also be employed if desired. Contained in the brackets 13 and 14 are openings 21 through which screws or other suitable fastening means may be insterted to secure the brackets 13 and 14 and thereby the hanger 10 to a wall or other substantially vertical surface.

The upper mounting bracket 13 is specially constructed to secure the hanger 10 to a wall even if the weld or other joint between it and the frame 12 should fail. For this purpose, the upper mounting bracket 13 has a substantially vertical groove 22 running its entire height at each of its ends 23. A portion of each of the vertical legs 17a and 18a fits in each of these grooves 22. Because of this engagement of the vertical legs 17a and 18a, the ends 23 of the upper mounting bracket 13 in effect clamp the legs 17a and 18a securely to wall or other surface. This clamping action of the bracket 13 occurs whether or not the bracket 13 is welded or otherwise joined to the frame 12. The clamping action may be further promoted by extending the ends 23 of the upper mounting bracket 13 around the vertical legs 17a and 18a to encompass another side of the vertical legs 17a and 18a. If the ends 23 are so extended, the backet 13 does not necessarily have to be welded to the vertical legs 17a and 18a. If desired, it may come as a piece separate from the legs 17a and 18a.

Enough has already been said to make evident the uses of my inventive hanger 10. It may be used with any portable appliance or other object with a carrying handle. The appliance is simply hung on the hanger 10 with its carrying handle resting in upwardly opening channel 11. No fastening means of any kind is required to secure the appliance to the hanger 10. The channel 11 alone safely holds the appliance in an elevated position wherein there is no danger of Water contact or damage from kicking or other abuses to which floor supported appliances are commonly subjected. In addition, an appliance sup ported by my device is safely out of reach of small children.

Because the channel 11 is rotatable, any appliance hung on it is swivelable. This is especially advantageous for appliances like television sets and heaters, which are usually turned by their owners to a variety of positions in the course of everyday operation. An additional advantage of my hanger device is that the appliance supported thereby is outwardly spaced from the wall or other supporting structure. Such spacing is especially advantageous for supporting heating or cooling appliances, as it permits free circulation and intake of air between the appliance and the supporting structure.

The sturdy construction of my hanger 10 makes it virtually impossible for any expensive appliance to accidentally fall from it and be damaged. Added insurance against such an accident is provided by the careful construction of the upper mounting bracket 13. The bracket 13 clamps the frame 12 of the hanger 10 against a wall. It would continue to do so even if the weld joint between the bracket 13 and the frame 12 were to fail.

It is understood that my invention is not confined to the particular construction and arrangement of parts herein illustrated and described but embraces all such modified forms thereof as come within the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A hanger for supporting an appliance, said hanger comprising a channel and a frame, said frame comprising a length of bar stock, said bar stock being substantially V-shaped and having a notch and a first pair of legs, said V-shaped bar stock resting in a substantially horizontal said frame, said channel being adapted to support said appliancedirectly above said pivot pin and meansto secure said frame to a wall or other surface.

2. The'hanger of claim 1 wherein said pivot pin is mounted in a substantially horizontal swivel plate, said plate being fixedly attached to the frame atits notch, and said channel being rotatably carried on said swivel plate.

3. The hanger of claim 1 wherein the channel is substan'tially horizontal and upward opening.

4. The hanger of claim 1 wherein the means for securing the frame to a wall comprises a second pair of legs and a plurality of mountingbrackets, said second pair of legs being substantially vertical and extending integrally from the first pair of legs, and said brackets being fixedl attached to said second pairof legs. 1

5. The hanger of claim 1 wherein the means for se- 4 curing the frame to a wall comprises a second pair of 7 legs and an upper mounting bracket and a lower mounting bracket, said second pair of legs being substantially vertical and extending integrally from the first pair of legs, said brackets being fixedly attached tosaid second pair of legs, said upper bracket having a pair of grooves,

4, v second pair of legs whereby said upper mounting bracket serves to clamp said frame against a wall, and said lower bracket being positioned'so as to bear against said Wall and space the lower portion of said second pair of legs from said wall.

7 References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 183,894- 10/76 Bradford 248-303 921,703 5/09 Hubbard 248303 1,407,681 2/22 Saunders 248-103 1,597,563 /26 Arndt 248-1171 1,753,875 4/30 Baurnan 248-403 1,794,251 2/31 Schafi 248-304 2,139,809 12/38 Dolge 248-1171 1 2,415,186 2/47 Moore 24.8--103 2,496,478 2/50 Kin'nebrew 248 ,103 2,510,711 6/50 Morsch 1 ;248 117.1 2,532,848 12/50 Kravitz j 248-117.1 2,778,588 1/57 'Capocci 248-602 2,830,781 4/58 Coulter 248-403 CLAUDE A. LEROY, Primary Examiner. 

1. A HANGER FOR SUPPORTING AN APPLIANCE, SAID HANGER COMPRISING A CHANNEL AND A FRAME, SAID FRAME COMPRISING A LENGTH OF BAR STOCK, SAID BAR STOCK BEING SUBSTANTIALLY V-SHAPED AND HAVING A NOTCH AND A FIRST PAIR OF LEGS, SAID V-SHAPED BAR STOCK RESTING IN A SUBSTANTIALLY HORIZONTAL PLANE, A PIVOT PIN ROTATABLY MOUNTING SAID CHANNEL ON SAID FRAME, SAID CHANNEL BEING ADAPTED TO SUPPORT SAID 